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IT'S BEEN NINE MONTHS since the particle accelerator exploded. Nine months since Evelyn saw Leonard. Not to mention, Barry Allen is still in a coma. The world had not been normal since that fatal night. But only one of those things mattered to Evelyn, and it was Barry.

Her whole world came crashing down the moment she learned that Barry had been struck by lightning, and was rushed to the hospital. She couldn't even remember what had happened to her after she received those texts. All she could recall was reading the messages then the next minute she was a bawling mess. She watched in horror as Barry's heart had flatlined. Multiple times.

She blamed herself for what happened to Barry regardless if Joe and Iris told her otherwise countless times. She allowed herself to be consumed with guilt. If only she'd sent Leonard away, and gone to meet up with them as promised. Perhaps then she could've done something to help Barry, and he wouldn't be fighting for his life in a hospital.

Over the months that had passed no progress had been made. The doctors didn't know what was wrong or how to help him. It left Joe, Iris, and Evelyn feeling useless. It wasn't until one afternoon during one of their daily visits that things had changed. He had visitors from those who they'd never thought would make an appearance. They didn't think they cared about those they had harmed that night of the explosion. But the moment Harrison Wells wheeled into Barry's hospital room with his two colleagues, he gave them hope.

He offered—more like insisted—to take Barry back to S.T.A.R. Labs. He promised he would devote all his time and attention to helping Barry wake up. They all agreed that Barry had a better chance in the hands of Harrison Wells since he had equipment that the hospital didn't have. He could perform tests that the doctors weren't able to do. Besides, Evelyn thought they should be the ones to help him since they're the reason Barry is lying unconscious in a hospital bed.  They broke Barry it's only fair that they help fix him.

But still in the hands of Wells Barry was unresponsive. But they made far more progress than the doctors had when she had visited him last in the hospital. Her visits to the hospital at the time became less frequent over time than she had liked, but she had to get back to her normal routines. Life goes on much to their dismay. Life was passing by in a flash while Barry stood still.

"Your usual." Iris beamed as she placed the coffee mug on the table in front of Evelyn. She looked up from her books for the first time since ordering.

"Thanks, Iris." Evelyn breathed out and gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She pulled the mug to her lips and took a sip of her much-needed coffee.

"You okay?" Iris asked her worryingly as she wiped her hands that had a tad bit of whipped cream on her apron.

Evelyn nodded hesitantly. She wasn't necessarily okay. She was swamped with work for the past nine months which she doesn't really mind- Barry's health comes first. She was also stressed out with school work since she had gone back to get her doctoral degree. Not to mention, she had constantly been worried about Barry, but she doesn't want to concern Iris with her problems. Iris had enough to deal with when it came to Barry. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Iris pressed for good reasons. For as long as she's known Evelyn, which hadn't been that long but it was long enough; she knew that Evelyn tends to have these moments where she would get in her head and become down. She knew those moments tied into her past. Evelyn trusted her and Barry enough to come clean about all of it. They didn't judge her, or made her feel bad about the terrible things she'd done, nor did they think differently about her. Instead, they had respected her more since they knew that it took a lot to reveal all of those mistakes to them. It wasn't easy for her to be honest and they appreciated it. So they made a vow that night on the roof of her apartment. As they drank hot chocolate on that cold December night, they promised to make sure she stayed on the right path. And if she ever strayed, they'd get her right back to where she needed to be. "You don't seem fine."

"I'm fine really." She assured her. "I just have a lot on my plate. That's all."

"Well, you have off tomorrow right?" Iris asked her with a sly smile.

"Yeah." She added confirmation to her question. "Well, that's if they don't need me."

"Well, if your day off is still your day off." She replied while checking her surroundings to make sure if it was okay to sit for a bit. Seeing that there were not many customers here today, and no one was in any need of refills at the moment she took a seat across from Evelyn. "How about you and I have a girls' night at the club?"

"Oh, I don't know." She laughed while she quickly shook her head.

"Come on!" Iris playfully whined with a bright smile. "It's been too long since we've had a girl's night. It's about to be a year."

"It has not been a year," Evelyn commented on Iris's claim as she rolled her eyes in a light-hearted manner. "Now you're being overdramatic."

"It has been a year." Iris countered. "Remember? You and I got so drunk we had to call Barry to pick us from Star City cause we somehow ended up there."

"Oh my God, yeah." Evelyn sighed as she covered her mouth. It took a lot for her not to wince at the embarrassing recollection. It was a fun but embarrassing memory. "You had to stay at my place because you were afraid Joe would be pissed at you."

"And you couldn't find your keys so we had to walk up the fire escape and climb into your kitchen window," Iris added with a laugh.

"Barry was freaking out every time we took one step because he was afraid we'd fall over the ledge." Evelyn chimed in, and they laughed in harmony at the fond memory. At this moment, Evelyn felt good for the first time in the past nine months. It was nice to not think about anything that dealt with important life issues for once. Instead, they could reminisce on the simpler times.

"So...girls night?" Iris asked again once their laughter had died down. She was a bit more hopeful than before.

"Yeah." Evelyn caved in with a grin. "Girls Night."

"Yes!" Iris hissed as she clapped her hands excitingly. "Can't wait. I already know the outfit I'm going to wear." Iris stood to her feet and grabbed the coffee pot off the table.

"I better get back to work." She announced then headed over to the table next to Evelyn. She had begun to refill the woman's cup when her eyes drifted off towards the front door. Her eyes had widened in shock. Evelyn could make out the tears in the corners of her eyes begging to come out. "Oh my god!" She said in awe before she bolted towards the figure who just entered jitters.

Evelyn's eyes followed Iris until they landed on the man she had thought she would never see again. "Barry." She breathed.

"You're awake," Iris said in a mix of excitement and disbelief as she pulled him into a tight embrace. Barry reciprocated her gesture happily and effortlessly. His eyes shut as he took in the moment before they fluttered open. His sight instantly fell on Evelyn, and he flashed her the biggest grin. And with just seeing his smile, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted.

"Come over here Eve," Barry said once he pulled away from Iris. Iris smiled widely at Evelyn as he beckoned her over with his hand. Evelyn slowly stood up because she believed she forgotten how to stand. She rushed over to him the minute she found her footing and threw her arms around his neck. They stayed in a peaceful warm hug for a good minute before pulling apart.

"Why didn't S.T.A.R. Labs call us?" Iris asked him.

"I just woke up." He replied nonchalantly with that same goofy smile never faltering.

"Should you even be on your feet?" Evelyn asked him worryingly, and Iris nodded her head in agreement. "I mean, you were in a coma for nine months. You could have some serious long-term consequences since you technically haven't moved a muscle in a long time. They just let you leave? I mean what if—"

"Whoa." Barry laughed. "Eve, I'm fine. I promise."

"We watched you die Barry." Iris told him seriously.

"Guys, I'm okay. Really." Barry told them honestly.

"You kept dying..." Iris continued with her rant. She couldn't see how he could be this cool with everything that had happened to him, and frankly neither can Evelyn. "And your heart kept stopping.."

Barry grabbed her hand and placed it on his chest right where his heart lied. "Still beating." He told her softly as he stared intensely into her eyes. Evelyn smirked to herself. Smooth Allen. Fresh out of a coma, he had already tried to win Iris's heart.

"Beats really fast." Iris laughed. Her hand was still on his chest.

Evelyn continued to watch the show where Barry flirts or hints at his feelings, and Iris remained oblivious. She was watched however until she had become distracted. A waitress suddenly dropped coffee-filled mugs on the floor. They shattered and Iris looked back at her. Barry eyed the woman slightly bewildered. "Are you okay, Tracy?" Iris asked her.

"Yeah, I got it." She answered cooly while she had begun to pick up the shards.

"My dad is gonna be so happy to see you." Iris told Barry happily. "Let me get my stuff okay? I'll be right back." She squeezed Evelyn's arm gently then ran to the back of the kitchen in jitters.

"You coming?" Barry asked Evelyn as he followed her back to her table. She collected her books and placed them back into her bag.

"I'd love too, but I can't. I have to go to class." She told him with a frown as she slipped her bag on her shoulder.

"Class?" Barry repeated questioningly with quirked eyebrows.

"I went back to school." She informed him of what she'd been occupying her time with these past months.

"Boy, you truly miss a lot when you sleep for nine months straight." He joked, and although she laughed his joke still stung.

"We'll meet up later?" He asked her hoping that her answer will be yes.

"Definitely."

•••

A/N:

rewritten: 2/4/22